Cartoning machine



E. L. BIVANS May 14, 1968 CARTONING MACHINE l I 12.123W [221: Q 7 w E Wm M MY. M

Filed Feb. 25, 1965 INVENTOR. 25527 4. fl/M/MS ATTOP/I/EV y 4, 1968 E. L. BIVANS 3,382,777

CARTON ING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTdIP/I ZW May 14, 1968 E. BIVANS 3,332,777

CARTONING' MACHINE Filedfeb. 25, 1965 I I l0 Sheets-Sheet 5,

' I NVEN TOR. E26. 3- 43627 4. 5W4;

BY I III May 14, 1968 Filed Feb. 25, 1965 E. L. BIVANS 3,382,777

CARTONING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. 43547 4. i/VA/V y 4, 1968 E'. L. BIVANS 3,382,777

CARTONING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet v Ea J4; J5

INVENTOR. 456f 4. 5/144;

May 14, 1968 3,382,777

E. L. BIVANS CARTONING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1965 10 Sheets-Shet 8 INVENTOR.

azzzr 4 B/VA/l/S BY I Arra'z/zw May 14, 1968 E. L. BIVANS CARTONING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Feb. 25, 1965 5 W mw/w mw m y 7 W m United States Patent 3,382,777 CARTONING MACHENE Elbert L. Bivans, Glendale, Calitl, assignor to Bivans Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 435,274 19 Claims. (Cl. 93-53) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The cartoning machine of this invention provides a conveyer moving at constant speed with a carton trans fer device for transferring an open carton to the moving conveyer. The flat cartons are stacked in a hopper. The cartons are opened in the course of transfer to the conveyer. The transfer device includes a vacuum cup holder for depositing the open carton on the conveyer while the conveyer is moving. The vacuum cup holder for the cart-on is on an arm having a pivot which moves on a feed stroke in the same direction as the conveyer, and on a return stroke, it moves in the opposite direction. The vacuum cup holder also moves between a position at the hopper for carton flats and a position at the main conveyer. One cam oscillates a radius arm about a fixed pivot, and the other cam has a link motion for oscillating the vacuum cup holder arm about a pivot carried by the outer end of the radius arm.

The main conveyer has lugs to engage the lagging side of the open carton. An endless belt has spaced lugs to engage the leading side of the carton to maintain the carton with its leading and lagging walls erect. The endless belt is friction driven by the cartons to provide a drag at the leading side of the cartons. This drag is adjustable. The lugs 'on the endless belt are in spaced relation to simultaneously maintain the walls erect for a plurality of cartons.

The machine can be tilted from a horizontal position to an inclined position to facilitate filling the cartons which are open at one end. Side and end flap closing means are provided for the opposite ends of the carton.

This invention relates to an improved cartoning machine which is adapted to erect a flat folded carton in the course of transferring it from a magazine to a conveyer, with improved means for holding the cartons open while on the conveyer. The cartons travel past a supply station where they are filled with suitable contents, and also past flap folding and tucking stations. Improved means are provided for closing the cartons and ejecting them.

The invention relates particularly to a machine wherein the open cartons are carried by the conveyer with the cartons in horizontal position, extending lengthwise transversely of the conveyer.

One object of the invention is to transport the open cartons inclined upwardly so as to facilitate filling the cartons. This is accomplished by arranging the frame of the cartoning machine in a tilted position.

A feature of the invention is provision for adjusting the tilt of the machine from a horizontal position to a position having a desired inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of the conveyer.

The invention further relates to improvements in the means for operating on the flaps at both ends of the carton, as well as improvements in the tucking of the flaps.

In general, the invention provides for stacking the fiat folded cartons in forwardly inclined position and for opening them in the course of transfering them from a suitable magazine to the conveyer while temporarily holding them in position so that carton lugs fixed to the conveyer at spaced intervals, engage the lagging edge of the fiat folded carton while it is advanced to engage a lug on a ret-arder belt which is supported for frictional movement through the instrumentality of the carton or cartons. The belt thus has no physical drive shaft connection to the motor which drives the conveyer but is simply a friction element which is driven by the cartons to provide a drag at the leading side of the cartons to maintain them in open position while the cartons are passing through the machine.

A further object of the invention is to adjust the friction drag on the above mentioned belt.

The machine is adapted to simultaneously operate on a substantial number of cartons such as 7 or 8, and when the machine is full, the friction drag on the belt is thus equally divided between that number of cartons, whereas when starting up, the initial carton is subjected to the full drag. If the carton is somewhat flimsy, or not strong enough, this may cause the carton to collapse and to overcome this, the invention provides means for relieving the friction, or part of the friction, on the belt at the start and until such time as the conveyer is full of cartons.

The invention further relates to facilitating the discharge of the completed cartons from the conveyer. This is accomplished by providing the conveyer with its carton lugs in pivoted form whereby they drop to a pendant form at the exit of the conveyer, means being provided to erect these carton lugs at the time that they arrive at the entrance to the carton path through the machine, in position to support the trailing wall of the carton.

A particular advantage of the above mentioned belt is that it automatically accommodates boxes of different di- Inensions in a direction lengthwise of the machine, other means being provided to adjust the machine so as to accommodate boxes of different heights or lengths.

The invention further relates to improved means for tucking the flaps at both ends of the cartons. The tuck may be in the form of a glue tuck or a standard tuck and two devices for performing these tucks are provided in interchangeable form according to the invention whereby it is possible to have a standard tuck at either end of the carton, a glue tuck at the other end, or both ends may have a standard tuck, or both ends may have a glue tuck, simply by removing one kind of the tuck apparatus and substituting the other.

The invention provides a tucking device at each side of the conveyer for the ends flaps at each end of the carton, these tucking devices simultaneously acting on the end flaps of a plurality of cartons while traveling on the conveyer, and the tucking devices at each side of the conveyer also acting in a progressive manner to progressively close the end flaps.

A further object of the invention is to obtain a high speed of operation by reducing the time required for the transfer of the flat carton from the hopper to the conveyer with the carton open. This is accomplished by providing, for the vacuum cup pick-up device, a mechanical movement which drives the vacuum cup in the path of a loop, the pick-up serving to move the carton blank, both laterally with respect to the hopper, and longitudinally with respect to the conveyer. The loop, in general, is somewhat of triangular form whereof one section, from the hopper to the conveyer, results from moving the pick-up, both laterally with respect to the hopper, and longitudinally with respect to the conveyer and in the same direction as the conveyer moves. A subsequent section of the loop results from moving the pick-up in the reverse direction to the conveyer while the conveyer is moving. The third and subsequent section results from moving the pick-up laterally to its start point at the hopper. When the open carton is deposited on the conveyer, in front of its fingers or lugs, the vacuum is broken and the vacuum cup con tracts sufficiently so that it does not rub the carton on the return stroke of the vacuum cup. In the preferred form, the drive for effecting the travel of the vacuum cup in a loop, as described, consists of two cams, one of which oscillates a radius arm about a fixed pivot, which in this case is horizontal, the other cam having a link motion for oscillating the vacuum cup holder, in which the vac uum cup is lengthwise adjustable, about a moving pivot carried by the outer end of the radius arm.

For further details of the invention reference may be made to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a cartoning machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section showing the relation between the cart-on blank magazine, the vacuum feed mechanism, the carton conveyer and the retarder belt, with the suction pick-up in position to remove a flat folded carton from the magazine.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 with the mechanism shown in the position when the unfolded carton has been deposited and erected on the conveyer.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal view in section of the receiving end of the conveyer detailing the braking apparatus of the retarder belt.

FIG. 7 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the closure mechanism used at one side of the machine in association with the standard tuck carton, similar mechanism being employed at the other side of the machine.

FIGS. 9 through 12 are transverse vertical sections showing the consecutive steps in closing the end flaps for a standard tuck.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the final step in the closing of the carton and more particularly, the manner in which the tab of the end flap is locked.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of an alternate closure mechanism which is associated with glue end cartons.

FIGS. 15 through 17 are transverse vertical sections on lines indicated in FIG. 14, showing the consecutive steps in closing glue end cartons.

FIG. 18 is a composite perspective view of a standard tuck carton in progressive stages of forming and closing.

FIG. 19 is a composite perspective view of a glue end carton in progressive stages of forming and closing.

FIG. 20 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of the support and elevator for the boom which constitutes the retarder belt assembly.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view on line 2121 of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a view showing the means for spacing the adjustable rail 1110 from the fixed rail 99, each of these rails carrying one of the conveyer chains, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9.

FIG. 23 is a detail view showing the drive for the conveyer chain 47 on rail 99 and conveyer chain 47a on rail 1110.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the description will be arranged under various headings dealing with the following: the general operations performed on the flat folded carton blank, the blank storage and transfer, the conveyer construction and its drive, width adjustment to fit the carton length, retarder belt construction and height adjustment, standard tuck apparatus, glue tuck apparatus, tuck interchange and table tilt.

General 0perati0ns.FIG. 18 shows the sequence of operations on the flat folded carton blank for a standard tuck. The blank 101 at A at one end has end flap 103a, lock tab 104a and side flaps 162a and 1432b. The other end has end flap 103b, lock tab 104!) and side flaps 1020, 102d.

In the course of transferring the blank 101 to the conveyer 41), the blank 161 is moved to open position, as shown at B, FIG. 18, the top 105 shifting forwardly with respect to the bottom 106 by hinge action on the four lengthwise fold lines like 107.

The carton is conveyed in horizontal position with the length of the carton extending crosswise of the conveyer and with the flaps at opposite ends extending outwardly, as shown at B, FIG. 18.

While being conveyed, the side flaps 102a, 102b at one end are closed as appears at C, FIG. 18. Suitable contents are placed in the carton at a filling station, the other side flaps are closed and end flaps 103a, 103b and their lock tabs 104a, 104b are tucked in, as indicated at D, FIG. 18, the filled and closed carton appearing at E, FIG. 18.

FIG. 19 shows the sequence of operations on flat folded blank 110 for a glue tuck. In FIG. 19A blank 110 at one end has side flaps 111a, 111b, inner lid 112a and outer lid 112k. At the other end, the blank 110 has similar flaps, side flaps 111a and 111d, inner lid 113a and outer lid 113b. As explained in connection with FIG. 18, the blank 110 is moved to open position by hinge action on each of its four fold lines like 115, in the course of transferring the blank from the magazine 90 to the conveyor 40. The open carton is conveyed similarly in horizontal position crosswise of the conveyer. As indicated at B, FIG. 19, the side flaps 111a and 1111: are closed and held closed at one end while the carton is conveyed past a filling station 'where suitable contents are placed in the cartons. Then, the side flaps 1110 and 111d are closed, whereupon the inner lid portions 112a and 113a at both ends are closed, glue being applied on top of the inner lid portions at both ends, as indicated at area 114 at one end in C, FIG. 19. Then the outer lid portions 11212 and 113b are closed and become glued to their respective areas, like 114. The filled and closed carton with the glue tuck is shown at D, FIG. 19.

Blank storage and transfer.As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the flat folded cartons of either items like 101 of FIG. 18, or 110 in FIG. 19, form a stack indicated at 120, supported in a magazine 90. Magazine 90 has a bed 121 supported in downwardly and forwardly inclined position by a cross piece 126, see FIG. 4, carried by two spaced posts like 127, which arise from a frame 2 of the machine. The bed 121 has side rails like 122 and a follower 123 which bears on the rear of the stack 120. At opposite sides of the magazine 90 are two upwardly extending posts 91 each having a gear rack like 92 for a pair of gears like 94 on a shaft 93 having a square or non-circular operating head 128. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the posts 91 has a slide 129 operated by its respective gear 94, these slides being connected together by cross pieces 142, 143, which slidingly support a pair of forwardly projecting arms 144. Each of the arms 144 on its underside has a stop pin 124 to engage the upper edge of the bottom blank of the stack 120. Each arm 144 also has a series of holes indicated at 145 in FIG. 4, for connecting each arm in a suitable position to the hole 146 at the upper ends of a corresponding pair of downwardly inclined forming bars 125. At the opposite lower sides of the bed 121, at the exit thereof, are arranged stop pins like 124 to engage the opposite lower margins of the bottom blank of the stack 120. The gears 94 are operated to raise or lower the arms or bars 144 and their extensions to suit the height of the carton blank.

The carton blanks are removed one at a time from the magazine 90 by one or more vacuum cup devices 151, three being shown in FIG. 3. These suction cups are each at the outer end of an arm like 152 mounted for sliding adjustment on a rocker shaft 153 carried at the outer end of an H frame 157 having a pivotal support at its lower end, as indicated at 158. In other words, the vacuum cups 151 oscillate about 158 as a center, the radial distance from 158 to the top of the carton blank decreasing, as measured to the lower side of the forming bars 144 and 125, as the vacuum cups carry the carton in a counter clockwise direction towards the conveyer, this reduction in radial distance acting to shift the carton top 105 in a clockwise direction with respect to its bottom 106, to hinge the folded carton blank from its fiat condition, shown at A in FIG. 18, to its open position, shown at B in FIG. 18. The same applies to the corresponding parts of FIG. 19.

Each vacuum cup 151 has a hose 154 controlled by valve 155 operated by cam 156 on shaft 23, see FIG. 4. Valve 155 is connected to a vacuum supply, this valve either making or breaking the vacuum, as well known.

Shaft 23 also has two cams 160 and 168 which control the movement of the vacuum cups 151. As shown in FIG. 2, shaft 23 has sprocket and is driven in timed relation with the conveyer from the main drive motor 20 by sprocket 24 and chain 26. The cycle of movement of the vacuum cup devices is the same as the linear cycle of movement of the carton lugs 48 on the conveyer so that an opened carton is deposited in front of each set of the carton lugs 48.

Rocker shaft 153 in FIG. 4 has a rocker shaft arm 163 connected by link 161 to rocker arm 162 which has a pivot support 169, see FIG. 3, on the pivot axis of 158, but independent of the H frame 157. Cam 168 has a follower 164 at one end of follower arm 165. Arm 165 is pivoted at 166 and its other end is connected by connecting rod 167 to rocker arm 162. Follower 164 is held in engagement with its cam 168 by tension spring 170 connected at one end to the cross bar 171 of the frame 157 and connected at its other end to the rocker arm 162. Cam 168 controls the movement of the vacuum cups 151 from inclined position, shown in FIG. 4, where they pick up the carton blank, to the upwardly facing position, shown in FIG. 5, at the point where they are about to be released from the open carton, in combination with the action of cam 160 which oscillates frame 157 about the axis of 158. Frame 157 has a cam follower 159 for cam 160. A suitable spring 172, fastened at one end to the frame 2 and at its other end to the cross bar 171, holds follower 159 in engagement with cam 160.

Conveyer arid drive-As shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 8, the conveyer 40 consists of two parallel endless chains 47 and 47a, arranged at the magazine end on idler sprockets 44, 44a, see FIGS. 2 and 23. Sprocket 44 is mounted on axle 42 fixed to the stationary rail 99. A companion idle sprocket 44a for the other rail 100 is similarly carried by axle 42a on rail 100. These chains 47 and 47a are driven at the outlet end by sprocket 49 on drive shaft 41 driven by chain 46 and drive sprocket 45, the latter .also driving chain 26 for sprocket 25. Sprockets and 24 are driven from main drive motor 20 by belt 27, speed reducer (varidrive) 21, belt 28 and gear box 22. The carton 101 rides on parallel rails 99 and 100, see FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 9 and 15-17. Rail 99 is fixed whereas rail 100 is laterally movable by operating the crank 66 in FIG. 1. The carton lugs 48 are arranged in pairs, as shown in FIG. 8, with one member 48 of each pair on chain 47 and the other member 48a of each pair being on the other chain 47a. The vacuum cup device 151 deposits the open carton like 101 in front of a pair of carton lugs 48, 48a, which are spaced apart adjacent the ends of the carton, the carton engaging lug like 131 on the belt 130 of the retarder belt assembly 80 being centrally located on the leading side of the carton, as shown in FIG. 8, to engage the upper leading edge of the carton to hold the carton open against its lugs 48, 48a, as shown at B in FIGS. 18 or 19. Shaft 41 has suitable bearings 18, 19 and keyed to it are sprocket 43 which drives conveyer chain 47, and sprocket 36 which drives chain 37, the latter driving sprocket 35 for eccentric 34 having pitman arm 33 which drives rocker arm 32 for vertical shaft 31 which operates the end flap closing arm 30. A similar drive is provided for the end flap closing arm 30a, at the other side of the machine. As

shown in FIG. 23, rail 99 is suitably bolted to a fixed support, as indicated by bolt 29. Shaft 41 has a spline 70 which drives spline collar 69 having a bearing 55 in movable rail which is carried by suitable supports, not shown. Fixed to the spline collar 69 are drive sprocket 43a for conveyer chain 47a and sprocket 36a which drives chain 37a which is similar to chain 37 for driving the end flap closing arm 30a. A driving relation from chain 46 and its driven sprocket 49 to the conveyer chains 47, 47a, and to the chains 37 and 37a is thus maintained While providing for adjustment of rail 100 to a selected lateral position. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, each of the conveyer chains like 47a rides on a chain guide rail 56 which forms an extension of the carton rail like 100. The other conveyer chain 47 is similarly guided.

At spaced intervals, each chain has a link in the form of an attachment lug 57 having a hinge, or pivot, support 58 for the pusher lug like 48 and 48a. Fixed to each pusher lug like 48 is a shoe or guide bar 59 which rides in a channel like 71 in the rail like 100 and 99. The channels like 71 are straight and terminate at the discharge end of the machine so that the pusher lugs 48 and 48a pivot to a pendant position, as indicated in FIG. 4, so that they do not obstruct the discharge of the completed cartons. As shown in FIG. 4, at the magazine end, there is provided for each rail 99 and 100, a curved rail extension like 72, as shown in broken line, to engage the shoes like 59 and gradually move the pusher lugs like 48 to an upright position so that each shoe will enter its channel 71 and maintain its pusher lug 48, or 48a, upright while the carton is riding on the top of the rails 99 and 100.

Conveyer width adjustment.As shown in FIGS. 1 and 22, the conveyer rail adjustment 60 comprises the crank 66 which may be operated to adjust the separation of the adjustable rail 100 from the stationary rail 99. Crank 66 operates screw 61 having sprocket 63 for chain 65 which drives sprocket 64 on a similar screw 61a. These screws at one end have bearings 73, 74, on the main frame 2 and other suitable bearings 75, 76, on the stationary rail 99. Screw 61 has a ball bearing screw-type nut fixed to rail 100 and screw 61a has a similar nut 67a. The rails 99 and 100 are adjusted into parallelism by screwing nuts 67, 67a to proper position and by holding them in place with a set screw like 77. Rail 100 has a suitable support and guide indicated at 68 in FIG. 1.

Retarder belt and height adjustment.As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4-7, 19 and 20, the retarder belt assembly includes a casing 87 above the conveyer 40 having idler pulleys like 132 and a brake pulley 133 for retarder belt 130, driven by the cartons, and having belt guide 139 and having a series of carton engaging lugs 131 spaced apart the same as the spacing of the sets of carton lugs like 148, 148a. The belt has a lower reach exposed along the bottom of the casing 87, with its lugs 131 extending downwardly in position to engage the middle of the open carton at its leading upper edge. Spaced along the bottom of casing 87 are a suitable number of pressure adjusting devices 141 each having a shoe or pressure plate 140, see FIG. 6, acting on the inner side of belt 130 to apply a suitable drag on the belt 130. Additional drag is applied by brake shoe on brake pulley 133. The position of the plate 140 is limited by adjusting screw 88, whereas plate 140 can be moved upwardly by the belt against the action of spring 89. When the machine is running with a full quota of cartons, such as 7 or 8 in number, the drag imposed by belt 130 on each carton is a corresponding fraction of the total frictional resistance on the belt, due to plates 140 and brake shoe 135. At the start, with only one carton on the conveyer, the total frictional load is applied by lug 131 to the top of that carton, which may crush it if the carton is flimsy. To overcome this, the frictional load can be reduced temporarily, until the conveyer is full, by removing brake shoe 135 from brake pulley 133. For this purpose, control lever 136 may be depressed and held by lock pin 137, to operate brake lever 134 against the action of spring 138.

As explained above, crank 66 in FIG. 1 may be operated to turn screws 61 and 62 in order to adjust the lateral separation of conveyer chain 47a from chain 47, the retarder belt assembly may need to be laterally adjusted in order to center it between the two conveyer chains. Also, to suit cartons of different heights when resting on the conveyer, it may be necessary to adjust the eight of the retarder belt assembly 80. These adjustments are accomplished, as shown particularly in FIGS. 1, 2, 20 and 21, as follows: the casing 87 is suspended from two forked arms 81, 81a, having bolts indicated at whereby the casing 87 can be adjusted to a selected lateral position. Crank 83 operates an elevator screw 82 having a sprocket 84 connected by chain 86 to sprocket 85 on a parallel elevator screw 82a. Screws 82 and 82a have suitable bearings indicated at 96 in FIG. 21 on the main frame 2 and they operate lift tubes 97, 97a, having guide bearings 98, 98a, the arms 81 and 81a being suitably fixed to the top of the lift tubes 97 and 97a, respectively. The height of the retarder belt assembly 80 and its casing 87 can be adjusted in a vertical direction by operating crank 83.

The casing 87 throughout its length has spaced pressure adjustments 141, one of which appears in FIGS. 5 and 6, each having a window for access to its bolt 88. The belt guide 139 and pressure plate 140 are both flexible and extend the length of casing 87. If the first pressure reason that the load is divided between cartons. If the load is not sufficient, the cartons collapse. To prevent this from happening, and to hold the cartons square for operation of the tucking devices, the pressure adjustment devices 141 ahead of the one at the inlet end of the conveyer shown in FIG. 6, are set to apply an amount of pressure which increases along the conveyer towards the discharge end. In other words, the height between the rails 99, 100, on which the cartons ride and the belt 130 decreases along the bottom of the retarder belt assembly 80, namely along the upper reach of the conveyer.

Standard tuck appanatus.-After the vacuum pick-up device 151 deposits an open carton on the conveyer, as shown in FIG. 5, the open carton also appearing in FIG. 18B, the carton is advanced for flap closing and filling operations, as referred to generally above, and as is now dealt with in further detail. As the carton advances, the side flaps 102a and 102b at one end of the carton are closed as follows. Side flap 102a at the leading edge of the carton is closed by closing rod, or blade 19011 in FIG. 1, the side flap 102b being closed by the flap closing arm 30a which is mounted on shaft 31a, similar to shaft 31 in FIG. 2 and described above. Suitable contents are then packed in the carton at the loading area in FIG. 1.

To prevent the contents from spilling out from the closed end of the carton, as it appears in C, FIG. 18, a rail, or fence which may be an extension of the closing rod a maintains the side flaps 102a and 1021) closed, as shown at C in FIG. 18, even though the carton is in tiltedposition.

The next operation, namely closing the side flaps 102a and 102d, is accomplished by the closing rod 190, similar to 190a, see FIG. 1, at the leading side, and by the side flap closing arm 30 at the lagging side. Arm 30 is operated by shaft 31, see FIGS. 1 and 2, described above.

Referring to FIG. 18D, the end flaps, or lids, 103a, 103b, and their lock tabs 104a and 104b, are formed and closed as follows, see FIGS. 1, 8 and 9. FIG. 8 shows a closing blade assembly 192 at one side of the machine 1 and it will be understood that a similar mechanism, not

shown, is used at the other side of the machine. The end flap like 103a is hinged upwardly by closing rod 191, FIG. 9 (and similar rod 191a). The lock tab like 104a is bent over a tab bending knife 199 by blade 198 which like subsequent blades 200 and 201 is carried by a reciprocating arm 194 on rod 195 having a slide bearing 197 on pivot 196. Reciprocating arm 194 is driven by an eccentric shaft 193 driven by eccentric 52 removably mounted on drive shaft 51 having gear box 38. Its removal permits substitution of the alternative glue tuck apparatus of FIGS. 14 to 17.

FIGS. 10 to 13 show the successive end flap closing operations performed by insertion blade 200 and locking blade 201, the latter having pads, indicated at 202 in FIG. 13, to force locking tab like 104a inwardly of its normal position to insure locking engagement.

Glue tuck apparatus.The glue tuck apparatus and associated lid or end flap closing rods may be substituted for either one or both of the corresponding elements for the standard tuck. As shown in FIGS. 14-17, instead of the eccentric 52, the shaft 51 has mounted thereon sprocket 203 which drives chain 204. As shown in FIG. 16, chain 204 drives sprocket 207 to drive the circular and rotary adhesive applicator 215. Sprocket 207 also drives sprocket 208 which, as shown in FIG. 15, drives by a chain, not shown, sprocket 209 which drives the feed 213 for the rod 211 of adhesive into the melting pot 214 from which it is fed by the applicator 215. The adhesive 211 has a. guide tube 212. The glueing apparatus 210 at one side of the machine is similar to the glueing apparatus 210a at the other side of the machine where shaft 51a has a sprocket 205 to drive chain 206 for the purposes described above in connection with chain 204. The melting pot 214a is similar to the corresponding item 214.

As described above, the inner lid of the carton is closed first by closing rod 216, see FIG. 15, and also FIG. 19C which shows the glue line 114 applied to the inner lid, the outer lid then being closed by the rod 217, see FIG. 17 and FIG. 19D.

Tuck interchange.FIG. 8 shows the standard tuck apparatus in the form of closing blade assembly 192 arranged at one side of the machine and driven by shaft 51 which also appears in FIG. 1. Similar standard tuck apparatus may be employed at the other side of the machine and driven by shaft 51a, as described above. If it is desired to have a glue tuck for the carton, as shown in FIG. 19, instead of the standard tuck of FIG. 18, the glue tuck apparatus above described is substituted at one side of the machine, or at both sides, for the standard tuck apparatus.

Table tilt.The conveyer 40, magazine 90, and all of the associated flap forming devices, as well as main motor 20 and its drive, are all mounted on the frame 2. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, frame 2 is supported on one side by spaced legs 3, 4 and on the opposite side by two cor responding spaced tilt adjusting screws one of which is shown in FIG. 3. One side of the frame 2 has a hinge connection 14, 15 with the legs 3, 4, the other side having spaced nuts like 16 for the screws like 7. Screw 7 has a sprocket 8 for a chain 9 which drives the similar sprocket for the other screw, not shown. Screw 7 has a pulley 11 and motor 13 has a pulley 12, these pulleys being connected by belt 10. Legs 3 and 4 are each extensions on a base like 17 on which screws like 7 and motor 13 and associated parts are mounted. Each base like 17 has an adjusting pad under its legs 3, 4, as shown at 5, 6. Motor 13 is operated by a circuit, not shown, to lower the rear side of the machine, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 3, to facilitate entry of contents into the cartons at the loading area 180.

I claim:

1. A cartoning machine comprising a magazine for storing a stack of fiat folded cartons in forwardly inclined position, a conveyer, a drive for causing said conveyer to travel, transfer means for effecting a transfer of the cartons in horizontal position one at a time to said conveyer,

means in the path of the cartons from the magazine to the conveyer for opening them in the course of said transfer, said transfer means delivering open cartons to said conveyer while said conveyer is travelling, means on said conveyer acting on the lagging side of the cartons for urging the cartons open, and an endless overhead member traveling with said conveyer and having cooperating means acting on the leading side of the cartons for maintaining the cartons open. 1

2. A cartoning machine according to claim 1, said endless member being a drag belt driven by the open cartons on said conveyer, the cartons forming a drive connection from said conveyer to drive said belt.

3. Means for erecting cartons from a flat folded condition to an open condition and for maintaining the cartons open comprising main and auxiliary continuous conveyers, means for driving.the main conveyer at a constant speed, said auxiliary conveyer being an idler having a friction drag and the cartons constituting means whereby the main conveyer drives the auxiliary conveyer, means for guiding the conveyer from curved paths to opposed linear paths, first and second sets of fingers carried by said main and auxiliary conveyers respectively in fixed relation thereto and adapted respectively for engaging the lagging wall and the top of the leading wall of a carton disposed between said fingers, the fingers of one set being longitudinally spaced apart from those of the other a distance corresponding to the width of the carton when it is fully erected, a suction cup device for introducing an open carton between the fingers at the entrance of the linear path, said suction cup device acting to deposit the open boxes, one at a time, on the main conveyor while operating at constant speed, between the fingers of said first and second sets.

4. A carton closing machine comprising a main conveyer movable in a certain direction and having means supporting the lagging walls of open cartons at regular intervals with a certain spacing, each carton having at least one flap, an opposed drag conveyer movable in the same direction and having lugs spaced apart with said certain spacing in position to engage the top of the leading wall of the cartons, each of said supporting means of said main conveyer and an associated one of said lugs acting to hold the carton open while said conveyers are moving, means for driving said main conveyer to thereby drive the drag conveyer by the cartons at the same speed, and flap closing means acting on the carton flap of successive cartons while the cartons are thus supported.

5. In a carton closing machine, a carton operating station, a main conveyer and an opposed conveyer driven simultaneously by a plurality of cartons on the main conveyer, said conveyers having regularly spaced sets of lugs, each set having a lug on each conveyer, each set of lugs being in position to engage opposed walls of the cartons and hold the cartons open while traveling through said station.

6. A cartoning machine comprising a magazine for storing a stack of fiat folded cartons in forwardly inclined position, a conveyer, means for driving said conveyer in a certain direction, transfer means moving in the same direction as said conveyer for effecting a transfer of the cartons in transverse open position one at a time to said conveyer and means in the path of the cartons from the magazine to the conveyer for opening them in the course of said transfer, said transfer means delivering open cartons transversely to said conveyer while driven by said driving means.

7. A cartoning machine according to claim 6, comprising a machine frame supporting said magazine, said conveyer, said transfer means and said opening means, and means for supporting said machine frame in tilt position with the cartons in tilt upright position to facilitate filling.

8. A cartoning machine according to claim 6, comprising a machine frame supporting said magazine, Said conveyer, said transfer means and said opening means, and

means for supporting said machine frame in tilt position with the cartons in tilt upright position to facilitate filling and means for adjusting the tilt position of said machine frame.

9. A cartoning machine comprising a magazine for storing a stack of flat folded cartons in forwardly inclined position, a travelling conveyer, transfer means for effecting a transfer of the cartons in open horizontal position one at a time to said conveyer, means in the path of the cartons from the magazine to the conveyer for opening them in the course of said transfer, said transfer means delivering open cartons transversely to said travelling conveyer, upright means on said conveyer acting on and supporting the' lagging side of the cartons, a drag belt traveling with said conveyer and having cooperating means acting on the leading side of the cartons for maintaining the cartons open and friction means acting on said drag belt.

10. A cartoning machine according to claim 9, said friction means comprising means providing a fixed amount of drag and adjustable means controlling a drag device and operable to reduce the drag at the start until such time as a plurality of cartons is acting on the drag belt at the same time.

11. A cartoning machine according to claim 1, said endless member having cooperating means simultaneously acting on the leading side of a plurality of the cartons for maintaining them open.

12. A cartoning machine comprising a hopper for fiat folded cartons, a conveyer, a pick-up device for transferring a carton from said hopper to said conveyer, means in the path of said flat carton for opening the same before being deposited on said conveyer, a mechanical movement means for driving said pick-up in the path of a loop, said mechanical movement being operative to move said pickup both laterally with respect to the hopper and longitudinally with and in the same, or opposite, direction as the travel of said conveyer, a vacuum breaker for breaking the vacuum on said pick-up, said mechanical movement being operative to retract said pick-up in the-reverse direction to that of the conveyer while the conveyer is moving, said mechanical movement comprising a radius arm having a stationary pivot, a cam for oscillating said radius arm, said pick-up having a holder having a pivotal support on said radius arm, another cam for oscillating said holder about its said pivotal support, and means for operating said cams and said conveyer in timed relation.

13. A cartoning machine according to claim 12, wherein said stationary pivot is horizontal.

14. A cartoning machine comprising a rail means on which open cartons ride, a conveyer having carton lugs at the lagging side of the cartons, a drag belt having spaced means acting on the leading side of a plurality of the cartons to urge them ope-n against the conveyer lugs, and a plurality of pressure adjustment devices acting on said belt at spaced intervals lengthwise of said conveyer.

15. A cartoning machine comprising a hopper for flat folded cartons, a conveyer, :a vacuum pick-up device for transferring a carton from said hopper to said conveyer, means in the path of said flat carton for opening the same before being deposited on said conveyer, a mechanical movement means for driving said pick-up, said mechanical movement means comprising means for moving said pick-up both laterally with respect to the hopper and longitudinally with and in the same, or opposite, direction as the travel of said conveyer while the conveyer is moving.

16. A cartoning machine according to claim 15 including a drive for said mechanical movement means, and means for operating said drive and said conveyer in timed relation.

17. A cartoning machine comprising a hopper for flat folded cartons, :a travelling conveyer, a pick-up device for accepting a carton in flat condition from said hopper and for delivering the carton in open form to said travelling conveyer, means in the path of said flat carton for opening the same before being deposited in open form on said conveyer, a radius arm having said pick-up device at an outer end portion thereof and having .an inner end having a pivotal support, means for operating said radius arm between positions at said hopper and :at said travelling conveyer, means for moving said pivotal support in the same direction as said conveyer for depositing the open carton on said conveyer while said conveyer is travelling, said moving means operating said pivotal support in a direction opposite the travel of said conveyer to return said pick-up device to said hopper to pick up the next flat carton.

18. A cartoning machine according to claim 12, said pick-up device moving longitudinally in the same direction as the travel of said conveyer to deposit an open carton on said conveyer While said conveyer is travelling.

19. A cartoning machine comprising a hopper for flat folded cartons, a travelling conveyer, a pick-up device for accepting a carton in flat condition from said hopper and for delivering the carton in open form to said travelling conveyer, means in the path of said flat carton for opening the same before being deposited in open form on said conveyer, a vacuum cup for said pick-up device, a vacuum supply for said vacuum cup, means for moving said pick-up device with an open carton therein, in the same general direction as said travelling conveyer, and means for breaking said vacuum supply to deposit the open carton on said conveyer While said pick-up device is travelling with and in the same general direction as said conveyer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,916,974 12/1959 Kuckiinsky et al. 9353 3,142,232 7/1964 Pierce et al. 93-53 3,258,893 7/1966 Jones 9353 BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. 

